. A chapter on birds : rare British birds . THE BLACK-BELLIED DIPPER. {Cinclus cinclus.) THE Dippers, or Water Ouzels, may bedescribed as Thrush-like Wrens, or Wren-like Thrushes, because they have much in commonwith Thrushes, according to the verdict of mostornithologists, but, for myself, I consider themmuch more closely related to the Wrens. Perhapsthe best solution of their avian relationship is torecognise them as Dippers, a self-containedfamily of birds, v\fhich are neither true Thrushesnor true Wrens. That the inclination of theseinteresting birds is tov/ards the Wrens is, I shouldsay,
. A chapter on birds : rare British birds . THE BLACK-BELLIED DIPPER. {Cinclus cinclus.) THE Dippers, or Water Ouzels, may bedescribed as Thrush-like Wrens, or Wren-like Thrushes, because they have much in commonwith Thrushes, according to the verdict of mostornithologists, but, for myself, I consider themmuch more closely related to the Wrens. Perhapsthe best solution of their avian relationship is torecognise them as Dippers, a self-containedfamily of birds, v\fhich are neither true Thrushesnor true Wrens. That the inclination of theseinteresting birds is tov/ards the Wrens is, I shouldsay, unansw^erable, provided that we are permittedto make plenty of allowance, and call them. THE BLACK-BELLIED DIPPER. 117 Water- Wrens, rather than Water- of the leading features in their economy arecertainly Wren -like. They have no bristleson the gape, and they build a thoroughly Wren-like nest. These two characteristics alone aresufficient to show that they are not Thrushes. The Dippers are exclusively mountain birds,and are seldom to be seen away from the streamsof the highlands. It is, in fact, necessary to visittheir special habitats in Great Britain, if onewould make acquaintance with these pretty birds,and, even then, they are not easy of observation. The Dipper, according to my experience, is avery shy bird, and by no means easy to spent some hours last year in watching themin Mr. C. G. Gates park at Meanwoodside, nearLeeds, but without much result, as wheneverI approached the brook which they frequented,the slightest noise was sufficient to cause them tofly off to a more sequestered spot, and on theonly occasion when I managed to get close to o
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1895
